Journal Article on Cancer Prevalence Among Flight Attendants

A study by Harvard researchers Eileen McNeely et al titled "Cancer prevalence among flight attendants compared to the general population" was published in Environmental Health on June 26, 2018. The article describes occupational exposure of flight attendants to known and probable carcinogens including cosmic ionizing radiation at flight altitude, Circadian rhythm disruption, and poor cabin air quality. The researchers surveyed participants in the Harvard Flight Attendant Health Study and compared the prevalence of self-reported cancers to equivalent information from a nationally representative sample. Based on statistical analyses, the researchers found a higher prevalence of breast, melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers among flight attendants compared to the general population. The authors describe some of the limitations of their study; nonetheless, the research is a significant contribution to the body of knowledge about occupational health and safety risks for flight attendants.

The fully study can be viewed here.